When we talk about cats, what comes to the mind is the domestic version of a tiger. That is a presumption we can consider legitimate. In fact, domestic cats are very distant relatives of the wild tiger. In today’s article, however, we will be considering the Bengal cat. There is a thousand and one interesting facts about this cat, and in the paragraphs that soon follow, we will deal with them exhaustively.
These cats are one of the few cats that look like tigers. For most of their breeders, the interest is to make them look like tiger as possible. What better way to discuss the Bengal cat than to start with its young? To get things started, we begin with the kitten of the Bengal cat.
Bengal Kittens
The name, kitten is used to describe the young of a cat. It only makes adequate sense that a Bengal cat kitten is a baby Bengal cat. Just like most domestic cats, they thrive when fed with cat food; whether moist or dry. So long the meal in question has all the nutritional content they require to flourish, the Bengal owner is good to go.
How then do you know the nutritional requirement of your cat? Only a trained veterinarian can tell you that. Although they hardly require any specific attention from veterinary doctors, they can do with a recommendation or two from a seasoned veterinary doctor.
They are definitely not as expensive as blue French bulldogs, but they can cost you a fortune anyway. Anything from $1000 to $4000 is what a Bengal kitten would cost you to acquire. This obviously great range depends on a lot of things which include color and certain genetic peculiarities. And as soon as a Bengal kitten is acquired, provisions for food, shelter and adequate hygienic conditions become of immense importance to the owner. But this is obviously another article for another day.
Tiger Cat Breed
The trend with most Bengal cat breeders, and cat breeders in general is to produce something as tiger-like as possible. Their effort is not without success in certain areas. For instance, there are currently at least 8 breeds of tiger cats. What this means is that each of this cat breeds look like a kind of mini tiger so to say.
More recently, they have come to be known as toygers; a name coined between a toy and tiger. Though this breed is still undergoing some critical development, the breeds in the market today are really impressive, and there is no doubt that in just a few years from now, exact copies of mini tigers will comfortably sit on the laps of their proud owners. To make sure these breeds resemble the tiger very much, scientists are working toward giving the cat a wider nose, smaller eyes and ears, and of course a chin that is way bigger.
Talking about tiger breeds, one should expect features somewhat characteristic of a tiger – though imperfect. There torso is robust and strong while their tails are very long. Most times, these tails stay very close to the ground; giving them the appearance of a prowling tiger that is about to descend on an unsuspecting prey. The major point of attraction for these creatures will be in their fur obviously. As a rule. their furs are soft, sweet to touch, beautiful and smooth.
Unlike what you would expect from a cat that looks like a tiger, they are very friendly. They find it easy to mingle with humans and other animals. They bathe frequently in water as their wild relatives do most times.
Bengal Cat Personality
Once again, they fail to meet up to expectation for those who think they would behave like their wild cousins. Bengals are not tigers. In fact, they are far away from tigers in terms of size, attributes and more. To this end, they are not overly aggressive. Their aggression will be considered normal – equivalent to that which you would expect from your regular domestic cat.
On an average day, the Bengal cat is very friendly, and spends the bulk of the day playing around. But this playfulness does not come suddenly. It often takes careful attention and training of the kitten by the breeder, to obtain the amazing results for which they are known for. Purchasing your Bengal kitten from an unprofessional breeder can hardly guarantee this jovial personality.
On the other hand, they don’t have any special immunity against feline leukemia. Although there were misconceptions about their status of immunity for the disease mentioned, research has shown that they – as well as most cats today – have no substantive immunity against the leukemia.
Other than this, bengals are very intelligent cats who make the home very fun. They are, however, not without their challenges. When bored to their wits, they can resort to some naughty behavior such as turning your light switches off or on, scattering your CDs on the floor.
White Bengal Cat
Is there really a white Bengal cat? Hardly! But then, this is a very rare breed. There are many types of Bengal cats out there: the white, brown, blue and silver. In recent times, cinnamon and chocolate colors have been bred.
White bengals, also known as snows are equally called Seal Lynx Point. Seal Lynx can sometimes have siamese ancestry, the implication being that they always have a pair of beautiful blue eyes. Sometimes, you get to see white Bengal cats that have silver spots or any other color.
Amusing Bengal Cat Photos
Top Interesting Facts About Bengal Cats
Having read the basic facts about Bengal cats, you may now read even more interesting ones. There is a whole lot of amazing facts about Bengal cats but the ones featured here are some of the very best.
1. Wild Ancestry
They have links to the really wild cats since they are the result of a cross between domestic cats and the Asian leopard. Since you now know that they have some links with wild cats, a little wild behavior from these cats won’t come as a surprise to you if you are looking to adopt one of them.
2. Bengals Can Befriend Dogs
Often times, we use cats and dogs to refer to mortal enemies or to a severe downpour, but not this time. The Bengal cat has somehow learnt to win dogs’ hearts. In fact, they – just like humans – could become a dog’s best friend. To make this friendship work most efficiently, the owner is advised to introduce a dog to the home when the Bengal is very much young or vice versa. This way, they grow together, watch out for each other and become dependable members of your entertainment crew!
3. They Love Water
Very clearly, this is another quality they share with tigers; their much distant relatives. Like you may have felt on discovering that they love to befriend dogs, you may also wonder why a cat should want to get fuddled in water. This is no much a surprise to you as it is to scientists but it is true. They play with water at the slimmest chance they get. Often times, you find them sipping some water from the little paws rather than dipping their heads into a bowl and lapping water from there. Their love for water, combined with their dexterity at fishing, make them a potential threat to your aquarium if you have one in your home.
4. They Know Just How to Steal
Call it kleptomania or anything you want to call it, but these cats love pick and “borrow” items that catch their fancy. When I say borrow, I am trying to be polite with words because in reality, they don’t return the things they borrow. So watch out for that beautiful piece of tablecloth on the table. Its secret admirer may have some use for it if you don’t mind.
5. Amazing At Bird Hunting
Cats are famed worldwide for their impeccable ability to hunt down small snakes, rats and other lower reptiles such as lizards. Their rivalry with flightless birds is also renowned but it seems the Bengal cat has taken this avian rivalry to a whole new level.
Once they sight a bird, they become automatically excited and would do anything within their power to play with these birds. Most times, or even at all times, this play is never one that favors the birds. If you have an avian pet; say a macaw or cardinal bird for instance, you should provide extra security for them because your dear feline pet will come for them – guilty or not. To be very safe, avoid keeping both pets.
6. Excellent Climbers
If you wouldn’t mind enjoying your cat do some acrobatic displays once in awhile – and who wouldn’t love to acrobatics – you will find the Bengal cat much fun in your house. They have the energy of gorillas and the agility of monkeys. You can count on them to climb to heights you never expected them to reach, as well as expect them to hop somewhat incredible distances too.
